


I Can't Fight You Anymore- It's You I'm Fighting For

by anything_thats_rock_and_roll



Series: The Sweet Revenge of a Bitter Enemy [4]
Category: Versailles (TV 2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-09-27 04:07:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20401417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anything_thats_rock_and_roll/pseuds/anything_thats_rock_and_roll
Summary: When Louis wins the war, he invites Emperor Leopold to Versailles to negotiate the peace treaty. This surprises a great many people, including William of Orange. Set in the beginning of Season 3, but very quickly veers off into pure fiction. Thanks to PepperSpicedLatte for the idea/prompt! Title taken from Ordinary Love by U2.





	1. Chapter 1

Louis stood at the mouth of his palace, watching the military procession spill through the gates. Neat lines of soldiers stretched across the expansive courtyard. His eyes focused on his brother, who sat tall upon his horse as he led his men back into the waiting arms of their home. Even from here, it was obvious Phillipe had changed, matured. Interesting.

Louis’ attention shifted as a gilded carriage trundled through the golden gates. He smiled slightly as he imagined his conquered enemy ogling at the ornate metal work. The carriage came to a stop in front of him, and a trio of travel-weary passengers disembarked.

A weathered but dignified man ambled up the steps, wearing a mildly pleasant expression that looked forced. He kissed Louis’ proffered hand as his valet introduced him.

“Emperor Leopold of Hungary, Archduke of Austria, and leader of the Holy Roman Empire.” Louis surveyed him with calculating eyes. He couldn’t help but compare the man before him to his William. Though they shared the golden hue of their hair, Leopold looked older, more tired. He lacked the intensity that seemed to burn perpetually inside William, Louis thought.

“I kiss the hand of the victor, and offer the humble supplication of my people and my crown,” Leopold said in a bored voice. He held out a sword to Louis.

“The King accepts your wishes with respect.” Louis took the sword. “Welcome to Versailles,” he smirked. Really, winning the war had been worth it just for this.

“I can’t help but ask why you invited me and not William of Orange.” Leopold’s voice carried the barest hint of an edge. Louis’ stomach clenched instinctively, wondering if there was any possibility Leopold knew something he shouldn’t.

A million answers crossed Louis’ mind. Indeed, he had thought long and hard before extending the invitation to Leopold. “I thought you and I might speak the same language,” he said, instead of listing any of them.

“Your Majesty,” Leopold said, turning his attention to the Queen. Louis let his mind wander, envisioning how much more engaging this meeting could have been if he _had _invited William. He wondered if William had yet heard of Leopold’s arrival at Versailles.

“The King is very kind.” Louis’ attention snapped back to Leopold as he spoke. “I hope he brings such generosity to the terms of the treaty.”

“There is much to discuss.” Louis glowered at Leopold in what he hoped was a sufficiently superior manner before shifting his attention abruptly.

“You’ve done all of France proud,” he said to Phillipe. “You’ve made me proud, brother.”

“I see you’ve been busy,” Phillipe said tartly. Louis ignored the jibe.

“Indeed. And I have a surprise to show you.” He turned, leading the way into the palace. This, at least, was something he could enjoy with or without William. Displaying the opulence and power of his palace and, by extension, his reign, could hardly be dampened by the absence of one man.

“I built this palace as a symbol of imagination and human achievement,” he declared. “But that wasn’t enough. Every body needs its heart. Every crown must have its jewel. Versailles needed a diamond so bright, you might think it was forged by the creator of the sun, the moon, and the stars.” Louis paused, surveying his audience. He stomped his foot, cueing the guards to spread open the massive doors.

“The Galerie des Glaces, now completed.” Louis raised his hands theatrically as he entered the hall. A lengthy corridor stretched before him. On one side, windows stood in place of walls. On the other, mirrors covered every square inch. Gold doused the entire room, which ignited in the light to give a luminous impression. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, spaced precisely so they cast glittering reflections all across the hall.

He savored the astonished expressions of both his court and their foreign guests. And still, in the back of his mind he wondered what William’s face would look like, taking in such a sight for the first time. Louis cursed himself. It was almost as if William _had_ arrived at the palace, with the way the damned Dutchman managed to invade his every waking thought.

\- - - - - - 

Louis sat in the center of an exceedingly long table that groaned under the weight of the extravagant dishes piled upon it. He took in the stunning floral displays, and the enormous peacock sculptures made out of artichokes. The Chevalier de Lorraine had really outdone himself this time.

“This is a special day for France,” he said, rising out of his seat to address the crowd. “We might be victorious in battle, but we greet Emperor Leopold not as an old enemy, but as a new friend.”

Louis studied the surrounding faces as he spoke. Phillipe looked distinctly bored. Madame de Maintenon beamed at him from across the table, trying valiantly to catch his eye. Leopold looked disgruntled, and entirely unenthused at the prospect of becoming "friends". Louis cast his eyes about the room, searching for the face he already knew he would not find.

\- - - - - - 

Louis returned to the dining room to find Phillipe, sitting alone in the flickering candlelight and nursing a glass of wine. He pulled a chair to the side and shared a smile with his brother in greeting.

“Your victory has given me great honor,” he said.

“It’s my soldiers who should be honored,” Phillipe replied prompty.

Louis tilted his head in surprise. “Such modesty becomes you, brother.”

Phillipe shrugged. “I have learned much.”

“Which is why I want you by my side in government,” Louis responded. Phillipe turned sharply to look at him.

“It’s entirely against protocol.”

“Protocol that I dictate.”

“I would not be another one of your lapdogs,” Phillipe warned. He paused for a moment, then continued somewhat bitterly. “Besides, Versailles is complete and the war won. What more could any man ask for?” Louis smiled wryly.

“At times it seems I have attained all I seek. And yet, at others it seems to count for very little, when larger things still elude my grasp.”

Phillipe searched his eyes before speaking. “Why did you invite Emperor Leopold here?”

“To discuss the peace. As the leader of the conquered nation, it holds that he should have a chance to negotiate for his people.” Louis knew this answer would not satisfy his brother, but he hoped nonetheless.

“Do not play dumb with me, brother. You and I both know a far more appropriate candidate exists,” Phillipe said in exasperation.

“Leopold is the leader of the Holy Roman Empire. Surely that is a high enough qualification,” Louis countered hopelessly.

“You have been at war with William of Orange since before my troops set foot on the battlefield. Everyone in the entire world expected you to summon him here so you could rub his nose in your victory. They are all baffled as to why you did not.” Phillipe’s voice took on a note of authority that Louis had not heard before.

“But I think I know,” Phillipe continued. “I remember what they never knew- I remember when he visited here, years ago. How close the two of you became. And I think you’re scared. You haven’t seen him since then, have you? You are afraid you will not be able to face him as an adversary, not when you are in the same room.”

Louis laughed despite himself. Phillipe was closer to the truth then he could know, and yet still so misinformed. It was not years of separation that caused Louis anxiety, not any more.

“You have a long memory, brother. Indeed, perhaps longer than I should like,” Louis tried to keep his tone light and unconcerned. “But why should the past scare me now?” That was, at least, a not entirely untruthful response.

Phillipe studied him intently, brow furrowed in concentration. Louis felt a thrill of foreboding. Phillipe had always been able to read him too well.

“God in heaven,” Phillipe wondered. “It hasn’t been years since you’ve seen him. How did…? What have you…?”

“Keep your voice down!” Louis hissed, though Phillipe’s tone was hushed. Phillipe raised an eyebrow, daring Louis to try to deny the panic that inundated his voice.

“You are not wrong.” The words sounded as if they were wrenched from him. “We have … maintained a correspondence.” When Phillipe’s eyebrow crept even higher, Louis elaborated. “And a more … physical … form of correspondence.”

“For how long?” Phillipe breathed.

“Since the war started.” Louis cursed the blasted lovesick tremor in his voice.

“Oh dear lord,” Phillipe groaned. “And now the war is over. I see your predicament.”

“I feared I would find myself unable to maintain objectivity in the negotiations,” Louis explained. Phillipe rolled his eyes.

“Even you cannot be that deluded, dear brother. You have maintained enough objectivity to thoroughly trounce him in war; I hardly think that is your problem.”

“Do not presume to know my heart,” Louis bit out.

“Oh but I do. You do not fear your own clemency. You fear he will no longer want you, now that he has lost.” Phillipe stood and swept into the darkness, leaving Louis alone, staring into the puddle of wine at the bottom of his glass, with Phillipe’s words ringing in his ears.

\- - - - - - 

“What are you telling me?” William stood up, shoving the chair behind him. It clattered to the floor, though William ignored it.

“Please, sir. It appears Louis has invited Emperor Leopold to negotiate the peace at Versailles. Our sources say he has been most welcoming.” The soldier’s voice trembled as he delivered the news. William’s stomach twisted unpleasantly as he imagined all of the ways in which Louis could be ‘welcoming’.

“And Leopold agreed? Does he think he can strike this deal without me? This is my war!” William raged at the soldier, despite knowing he was entirely not to blame for the situation. “Get out of my sight.”

William let out a controlled breath, overturning the chair and replacing it at the table. He sank into it and put his face in his hands. It _was_ his war. His and Louis’, if not from the start then at least since their meeting at the convent. Leopold was an insignificant addendum, a useful ally but not a main character. And now it seemed he grew tired of his role on the sidelines.

He could understand why Leopold might jump at this opportunity, but why would Louis offer it to him? William knew there was genuine hurt lurking underneath his anger, but chose not to examine it at the moment. Louis had always had the capability to be extremely hurtful, but he usually only indulged it when it suited his interests, or when he was scared.

William’s lips folded themselves into a pout as he contemplated all of the things they could be doing right now, if he were at Versailles instead here in Holland. A legitimate diplomatic excuse to stay in the same palace was far too good an opportunity to pass up. The only explanation that occurred to him was that Louis was no longer interested in spending time with him.

If that were the case, then Louis at least owed him the dignity of informing him. If Louis wanted no longer wanted to see him, let him tell William to his face.

“Berend. Arrange for a carriage. We’re going to Versailles."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I was gonna get to smut here, but then this got long. Next time though!

“We must find a way to raise more funds,” Louis declared, leaning against the table as he surveyed his ministers. “Raise the taxes if we must. They are for the people’s own benefit, are they not?”

“But sire…” Colbert said tentatively. “The people already cannot pay.”

“Cannot, or will not?” Louis countered.

Colbert grimaced, but was saved from answering when the door burst open.

“Sire, may I present William of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland and its territories,” Bontemps said hastily, directing an apologetic look toward his master. Louis’ head snapped up as William and his entourage swept into the room.

“Your Majesty. It seems you were not expecting my arrival.” William looked resplendent in a deep green jacket adorned with intricate gold stitching. He stood tall, his steely gaze trained on Louis.

“I don’t suppose you felt the need to send a messenger to inform me,” Louis drawled. He straightened up and arranged his features into what he hoped was a calm, controlled expression. “As ever, you have a flair for the dramatic.”

“In fact, I was under the impression that dramatics were firmly planted in your territory,” William shot back. “You recent actions have done little to dissuade me.”

Louis could feel the electricity emanating from William across the room. This was not a conversation he wanted to have in public.

“Whatever the circumstances, I welcome you to Versailles. Everyone should have the opportunity to behold her glory. Perhaps you would care to see more of the palace?” Louis gestured at the door and took a hopeful step toward it.

To Louis’ relief, William nodded curtly and followed him. Louis dismissed his valet and guards with a subtle gesture. Without bothering to watch if William did the same, he strode quickly down the hall toward his own quarters.

Shutting the door to his entrance chamber forcefully, he turned on William. “What on earth do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.

“My invitation seemed to have gotten lost along the roads. I was merely rectifying the situation.” William kept his face open, determinedly innocent.

“By barging unannounced into my private cabinet meeting? By fucking me with your eyes across the room?”

“Forgive me for intruding upon your secrets of state,” William said scathingly. “If it assuages your concerns, I will tell you that I was already well aware of your colossal debt problems.”

“Have you forgotten that I just destroyed you in war? You display much impertinence for someone whose entire kingdom is at my mercy.” Louis’ voice rose with his temper.

“And you behave as if you owe nothing to anyone but yourself.” William took a step closer.

“Don’t I? I am a King,” Louis laughed, desperately pretending to be unaffected my William’s proximity.

“So am I. I know you as you know yourself. Don’t pretend that you can put up a front with me.”

“That matters not. I owe you nothing.”

“Yes. You do.” William’s voice was quiet, but his eyes burned with intensity. Louis looked away.

“Why are you here?” he asked abruptly.

“Why did you invite Leopold instead?” William answered, his tone betraying both anger and hurt.

‘That was the burning question, wasn’t it?’ Louis thought. Everyone had asked it, from his brother to Leopold to Louis himself. It was a question Louis didn’t have a good answer to. Or, perhaps too many answers, none of which he currently wished to share with William.

“Why shouldn’t I have?” he asked instead. “I have defeated Leopold’s empire, which means we must negotiate a peace treaty. He is your ally, is he not? And he is a Catholic, which makes his word worth significantly more than yours.”

William appeared visibly stung. For a moment, his wide, expressive eyes looked sad instead of angry. “We both know that is not what this is about. Leopold be damned. Why did you not invite me?”

“Perhaps I did not wish to. I do not normally tolerate people questioning my decisions, you know.” Louis was not quite sure why he felt so compelled to refute William. The words coming out of his mouth bore little resemblance to the ones that swam through his mind, but he spoke them anyway.

“Figures.” William turned away, his gaze dropping the floor. “You have the entirely of the world at your feet now. A veritable empire, with you, the sun, at the center. Nothing left for you to conquer. What use have you for me anymore?” William’s last words came out almost at a whisper, but even that did not conceal the way his voice cracked with emotion. It made Louis’ stomach twist.

“I don’t want the world. I just want you.” The words were out of Louis’ mouth before he had time to think them over. They hung in the air between them, tenuous and trembling but he did not take them back.

William turned around slowly. When he met Louis’ gaze, his eyes shone with hope as well as unshed tears. He took a tentative step toward Louis, opening his mouth to speak. Before he could form a single word, however, Louis made a choked noise and bolted for the door.

William stared after him, motionless, as the tears began to carve glittering tracks down his face.

\- - - - - - 

When Phillipe found him, Louis was nearly polishing off his third pitcher of wine. Phillipe took one look at him, sprawled on his chair, and plucked the glass out of his limp grip.

“I think that’s more than enough for you today,” he said decisively. Moving the pitcher to the other end of the table, he pulled up a chair beside his brother. “So. I see William of Orange has descended upon the palace.”

Louis stared after the pitcher but made no move to reach for it. “Indeed he has.”

“And yet instead of enjoying a joyful reunion in your bedchambers, you are drowning yourself in drink. Sensible,” Phillipe snorted.

“Do not mock me!” Louis snapped, but the effect was ruined by pout that dominated his expression. Phillipe ignored him.

“What happened?” he asked.

“He burst into my cabinet meeting and nearly caused an international scandal,” Louis started.

“I know. I was there,” Phillipe cut him off. “Which you might know if you imbeciles had eyes for anyone but each other. What happened after that?”

“We argued.”

“Obviously,” Phillipe interjected.

“He seemed quite angry about his lack of invitation to the palace. I fear he will not forgive me.”

“What did you expect? Was sparking his jealously not the entire point of inviting Leopold?” Phillipe asked in exasperation. “Brother, he traveled here from Holland. Just to argue with you in person. In your twisted world, that is love.”

Louis remained silent as he processed his brother’s words. After a moment, his face fell.

“You may have been right, but not anymore. He accused me of not wanting him, now that I have conquered the world. I said I didn’t want the world, only him. And then I left,” Louis whispered.

Phillipe groaned, rolling his eyes before dropping his face into his hands. “How are you the King of France? How has God entrusted our nation in the hands of someone so _stupid_?” When Louis looked up murderously, Phillipe hastily continued. “All is not lost. You clearly both care for each other. Perhaps you just need to … not talk so much.” Phillipe raised an eyebrow suggestively.

Louis laughed, a grin teasing across his face before his stormy expression returned.

“Go, brother. Tell him you’re an idiot. Make this right.” Phillipe said rousingly.

Louis took a fortifying breath before rising from his chair. As he neared the doorway, he paused.

“Why are you helping me?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Because I prefer seeing you happy, rather than foul-tempered. And out of personal appreciation for scandal,” Phillipe answered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT

William tried reading the sentence again. His eyes bounced off the page, to the candle beside him and then to the ornate carvings on the enormous desk, never settling for more than a moment. He had found the battered copy of Paradise Lost resting half-off the mantle, as if it had been recently replaced. It was a story he knew well, and yet his eyes kept slipping down the page, sliding past words that never really entered his mind. Instead, he touched the worn leather binding, as if he could feel by proxy the fingers that had made it so.

William glanced across the room, to the window where he could now see that dusk had fallen without his noticing. He must have been here for hours, he thought. The last thing he remembered was composing himself as best he could, searching out his party to confirm that Louis had not actually killed him. Though he might well have, he thought gimly. He had informed them that he would retire to his rooms, before retracing his steps and returning to Louis’ instead. That, at least, would guarantee him some measure of peace. No one in their right mind would look for him here.

“An apropos choice of reading material.” Louis’ voice cut through the silence. William felt a strange sort of sadness: for the silence, and its death, and how once some things are broken they can never really be restored.

“The relationship between desire and possession is never as simple is seems, is it not?” Louis continued. William’s jaw tightened.

“Perhaps that is an affliction only you suffer from,” he said acidly. “Some of us are more clear on what we want, and more satisfied once we have it.”

William stood up, letting the book fall closed as he crossed the room. He gazed out the window in apparent fascination, ignoring Louis entirely. He could hear the rustle of fabrics behind him, and footsteps, but resisted the urge to turn around.

“I meant what I said,” Louis murmured. William could feel hot breath on his ear. Louis’ hands settled hesitantly on his hips, revealing a rare moment of uncertainty. William opened his mouth to reply, but gasped instead as Louis bit down on his shoulder. 

“What good is the sun, with no one to shine for? Amsterdam. Austria. Maastricht.” William could feel Louis’ smile against his skin. “Mean nothing without you fighting for them.”

Louis punctuated each sentence with a bite, soothing the sting with tiny kitten licks. He tugged at the collar of William’s shirt, pressing a kiss at the top of his spine and biting at the exposed skin of his back. William let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand against the cold window. His head dropped down unconsciously, baring his neck to Louis.

Louis’ hands tightened on his hips, twisting him around until his back hit the window. William looked down at him, motionless, inscrutable.

Giving up on words, Louis surged forward to kiss him, wildly, his tongue delving into the reaches of William’s mouth. He tasted like wine, sour and desperate and out of control. William responded instinctively, opening his mouth wider and sliding a hand up to cup Louis’ neck. It would be so easy to give in, to forget about all the complications and insults and feelings they held between them.

William pulled back from the kiss but stayed close, leaning their foreheads together. “This isn’t a game, anymore. Not to me,” he said seriously.

Louis closed his eyes at William’s words. “No. Nor me,” he breathed, before seizing William’s face and crushing their lips together. He took a cautious step backward, reaching a hand out behind him to locate the bed. William followed, unwilling to let an inch of space grow between them.

Louis perched on the edge of the bed. He trailed his hands down William’s chest, looking up at him coyly. William nudged his legs apart and came to stand between them, running a hand along Louis’ jaw to tilt his head up. When Louis jutted his chin out, silently asking for a kiss, William obliged. He smirked, admiring the way Louis had to stretch up to reach him. The slight awkwardness was far outweighed by the heady rush of power it gave him. William bit down on Louis’ lip, and was rewarded with a quiet moan.

In one fluid motion, William stood up and shoved Louis’ shoulders, causing him to flop back onto the duvet. A wicked smile wound onto Louis’ face as William crawled above him. As William attacked the side of his neck, Louis’ hands pulled at his clothing, fumbling with buttons and tugging impatiently at the garments.

William chuckled and sat up to shrug out of his coat. The hint of a bruise was already blooming across Louis’ pale skin. He raised his arms obediently as Louis dragged the shirt over his head.

“It seems you have me at a disadvantage,” he said, eyeing the layers Louis still wore.

“Why don’t you fix it then?” Louis challenged. William wasted no time divesting Louis of his remaining clothes. He gracelessly dropped each item to the floor, a heap forming beside the bed. He kissed down Louis’ chest, pausing to bite at the soft skin of his stomach, before unlacing his britches.

When he’d finally stripped off the last of Louis’ clothing, William stepped back. Louis made a surprised noise, clearly disappointed by the loss. He raised his head to look at William questioningly, his legs still hanging over the side of the bed.

“Lie back. But get on the bed.” William’s voice was low, commanding. Louis complied, watching as William turned and stepped further away from the bed. He admired the way William’s tight britches clung to him as he bent down, rummaging through the pile of abandoned clothing.

William climbed back on the bed, leaning down to kiss Louis before speaking again.

“I don’t like it when you leave. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, you keep doing it,” he growled. “You’re not going anywhere tonight.”

Louis’ mouth went dry. William trailed his hands down his sides, lacing their fingers together and guiding Louis’ hands above his head. Louis’ breath hitched as William carefully wound a shirt around his wrists, tying it into the headboard with practiced ease. Louis tugged experimentally at the bonds, relaxing back into the bed once convinced of their strength.

“Now that you have me, what are you going to do with me?” he asked, voice playful.

“Whatever I want.” William’s eyes burned with an intensity that brought Louis back to the convent outside Amsterdam and ignited a fire in his gut. William sat back, devouring the sight of Louis spread bare before him. Louis fought the urge to squirm beneath his gaze.

Decisively, William leaned down and began tracing his tongue across Louis’ torso. His hands glided teasingly over sweat-slick skin, with just enough pressure to make Louis shiver. Suddenly, William dug his nails in, raking them down Louis’ arms, from the soft white fabric that bound his wrists down to his shoulders. Louis gasped, throwing his head to the side.

William laughed and went back to sucking on his neck. His hands wandered down to grip the curve of Louis’ ass. He ghosted his tongue over Louis’ ear as his fingers stroked the join of his hip, the very lowest part of his belly, determinedly avoiding the area he knew Louis wanted him to touch most.

“William…” Louis moaned desperately. He dug his heels into the mattress, rutting up in an attempt to find some kind of friction. He whined when William’s hands disappeared and he pushed himself up to leave several inches of space between them. William cocked an eyebrow at him.

“I don’t think you’re understanding the point here,” he growled, leaning over the side of the bed to retrieve another article of clothing. He grabbed Louis’ foot and unbent his leg, stretching it toward the foot of the bed. Pressing a kiss to his ankle, William secured the fabric to the corner of the footboard. He repeated the process on the other side, leaving Louis spread out across the bed.

William paused for a moment, drinking in the sight before him. Louis’ pale skin was flushed with desire and his cock dripped with pre-come.

“What are you waiting for?” Louis bit out.

“So demanding,” William tutted, but he leaned down and began to suck a hickey onto Louis’ thigh anyway.

As he went on biting, William marveled at the situation he found himself in. At no point in his life had he ever expected to have the King of France tied to a bed, naked, beneath him, with hours and hours before morning in which to touch and taste as much as he could possibly want.

He breathed out across Louis’ heated skin as he worked his way up again, pausing to kiss and bite along the way. Louis quivered as William’s hair drifted over his skin, leaving trails of goosebumps in its wake. William backtracked, lightly dragging his tongue up Louis’ cock before moving away again. Louis made an absolutely wrecked sound, closer to a sob than a moan, his back arching off the bed.

William pushed his shoulders back into the mattress and nibbled on one dusky pink nipple before lifting his head. He shook his hair out of his eyes and surveyed Louis’ face. His eyes were closed, mouth open, head pressed into the pillow as his body trembled with need. He blinked his eyes open to look at William with a dazed expression.

William smoothed the hair back from his face, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “So beautiful,” he mumbled against Louis’ skin. “I want to be inside you.” Louis nodded mutely, his body going taut beneath him.

William hastily untied the restraints from the footboard and Louis let his legs fall open carelessly. Rummaging around the bedside table, William came up empty. He turned to Louis, who was watching him with glazed eyes and said nothing.

“Oil?” he asked. “For God’s sake, it’s your palace.” Now that he was finished teasing Louis, William’s calm demeanor seemed in danger of ceding to desperation as well.

“The armoire. Bottom drawer,” Louis breathed.

William retrieved the vial and began to massage the tight pucker of Louis’ entrance. He slid a finger inside and quickly added another. When Louis made no sign of protest, he continued stretching him for only another moment before removing his hand. He yanked at the laces of his britches, pushing them down just far enough to free his cock before he was sinking into Louis, who let out a strangled moan above him.

William’s continence had long since snapped, and he pounded into Louis without restraint. With so little preparation, Louis was even tighter than usual, and the sensation threatening to overwhelm William already. Sweat dripped down his nose, mingling with Louis’ to form pools on his chest. Louis’ shoulders strained, tugging at the restraints, and William felt his cock pulse when he noticed the red marks that encircled his wrists.

“You have no idea what you look like right now.” William’s voice was quiet, rough, almost reverential. Louis opened his eyes to look at him. “Your skin all marked up, bruises and scratches and rubbing your wrists raw. Your hair is a mess and you can’t even fix it.”

“Please, William.” Louis wrapped a leg around his hips, pulling him deeper. “I…” Louis’ voice trailed off. “I want…”

“So needy. Stretched out, tied to the bed, begging for me.” The words caught in William’s throat. “Tell me what you want.” He snapped his hips forward, driving into Louis at just the right angle to make him shout. “Is that it?”

“Please please please William please.” Louis broke, stuttering and shaking. William kept thrusting as he leaned down, intending to quiet Louis with a kiss. He jerked back in surprise when Louis came untouched, streaking both their stomachs.

William shifted, uncurling Louis’ legs from his hips and placing his feet flat on the bed. Rising onto his knees, he grasped Louis’ hips and jerked them toward him. He rocked into Louis, who was still twitching with aftershocks. William’s eyes drifted closed as he lost himself the feel of his cock dragging against Louis’ insides, but he forced them open to drink in the sight before him.

Louis was bent, twisted with his arms tied above his head and his legs straining to push his hips up closer to William’s. There was come drying on his stomach and a thoroughly fucked-out expression on his face. William had never seen anyone look this debauched. His fingers tightened, legs threatening to give out, as his orgasm tore through him.

When he regained the use of his limbs, William dropped Louis back to the bed and crawled above him. “You were so good,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Louis’ lips. William gently slid his thumbs over the leftover tears that dotted the corners of his still-closed eyes. He reached up, releasing the fabric that bound Louis’ hands. William massaged his fingers and palms, carefully avoiding his wrists, before gently lowering Louis’ arms back to his sides. Smoothing his hands over Louis’ tight shoulders, William kissed him again.

“You are the world.” Louis blinked up at him, confusion and exhaustion and hope mingling in his eyes. “You are all I’ve ever wanted. Since we were 16 and sneaking around stables at night, everything else has been a mere distraction.” William cursed the way his voice trembled.

A grin broke out across Louis’ face. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“You’re piss-poor at communicating then.” William laughed despite himself.

Louis stirred, as if to get off the bed, but William eased him back with feather light touches. “Let me take care of you,” he mouthed against Louis’ neck, before getting up to retrieve a cloth and a blanket.

William settled back against the cushions and wrapped an arm around Louis, who curled, cat-like, against his chest.

“I wish we could do this every night,” Louis mumbled sleepily. William took a deep breath before responding.

“I know. Me too.” William ran his fingers down Louis’ back, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “Go to sleep.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly just smut, but some important discussion of Feelings and The Future at the end too. Only one more chapter before this series is over! I really did not expect the one shot I wrote on a dare to turn into ~30,000 words...

Louis woke up slowly, gradually becoming aware of the birdsong coming from outside and the warm weight pressed against his side. He opened his eyes to find diffused morning light filtering into the room and turned his head to look at William. William stirred, burying his face in the crook of Louis’ neck. Louis smiled and absently ran his fingers along the bare skin of William’s back. William responded by gently biting his collarbone.

“I know you’re awake,” Louis said.

“’m not,” came William’s muffled reply, but he blinked his eyes open anyway. The light lit up the depths his hazel eyes, and Louis’ breath hitched.

“It appears you and the early hours of morning are not fond of each other,” Louis mused. It wasn’t until he heard the words aloud that he realized the hidden intimacy they held, the unintended reminder that was the first time they’d ever woken up together.

“Ordinarily, no. But there are things worth waking up for,” William mumbled, before he set to work sucking a hickey onto Louis’ neck. He pulled back to examine his work, a satisfied smirk on his face.

Pushing up on his hands, he kissed down Louis’ chest to swirl his tongue around a nipple. Louis’ hands wandered across William’s back and down to grip his ass. He gasped at the soreness in his shoulders. The previous night came rushing back, the way William had tied him up, had teased him to the point of utter madness, and Louis found himself suddenly hard.

William hummed and continued his path, crawling down the bed to take Louis in his mouth. Louis sighed and lay back, letting his eyes drift closed. William flattened his tongue, dragging it up the length of Louis’ cock until just the tip rested against his bottom lip. He blew out experimentally, making Louis shiver, before sinking back down.

He slid his hands up Louis’ torso, pausing to twist a nipple between his fingers before dragging his nails across Louis’ stomach. Louis’ breath sped up. He cracked his eyes open to find William staring up at him intently.

Hollowing his cheeks, William bobbed his head. Louis wound his hands through William’s hair, urging him deeper. William went easily, until the head of Louis’ cock bumped against the back of his throat. He whined quietly, throat constricting, but didn’t pull away from Louis’ grip. Instead, one hand wandered between Louis’ legs, fingers brushing against his hole. Louis felt his stomach tighten as pressure built inside him.

William took his hand away, prompting a disappointed noise from Louis. He wrapped it around Louis’ cock, splaying his fingers so he could envelope them too with his mouth. Louis’ eyes went wide.

“William…” Louis warned breathlessly, but William gave a minute shake of his head. Louis frowned, but gripped the sheets and focused his whole being on not spending that very second. Whatever William’s plans were, he didn’t want to be the one to ruin them.

William squeezed the base of his cock firmly before sliding his hand back down to Louis’ ass. Continuing to suck enthusiastically, he gently pressed a finger inside. Louis’ legs instinctively fell open. Swirling his tongue, he worked Louis open before adding another. It took Louis a moment to realize that the desperate, needy noises he heard were coming from him.

William sank back down again, until his nose brushed dark curls and he breathed in Louis’ scent. He swallowed around Louis’ cock as he twisted his crooked fingers, and Louis’ came with a shout. William eagerly swallowed the come that threatened to spill out of his mouth, sucking until Louis began to writhe under him.

William pressed a kiss to the inside of Louis’ thigh as Louis hauled him up by the hair for a kiss. “You can,” Louis muttered between kisses, “wake me up anytime.” A fizzy feeling of elation bubbled up inside Louis, and he clutched William tighter.

The slide of William’s lips against his was too good to give up, so Louis didn’t. He kept kissing until he noticed William unconsciously rutting against his hip. He pulled away, laughing slightly, and stilled William’s hips with his hands.

“I cannot be the only one to finish,” Louis said.

“That’s what I’m trying to remedy,” William panted against his shoulder.

“You don’t have to… What do you want?” Louis asked. William’s eyes clouded, his features rearranging themselves momentarily into a conflicted expression.

“I know you already…” he started, suddenly shy. “Can I fuck you?”

Louis smiled and tilted his hips up against William’s. “Please.”

William’s eyes fluttered shut as he slid into Louis, pausing when his hips pressed flush against his ass. Louis studied his face. William’s mouth hung gently open, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. He was beautiful.

Slowly, William drew his hips back until they were just barely still joined before pressing back in with equal reserve. Louis could feel his shoulders trembling. William repeated the movement at the same glacial pace.

“I’m not going to break, you know,” Louis intoned. William’s eyes snapped open.

“I know. I want this to last.” William’s voice was soft. “We’ve never had time, before. I want to memorize every inch of you, every expression, every sound.”

He leaned in to kiss Louis, the kind of reaching, thorough kiss that they rarely indulged in. The corners of Louis’ lips curved upward. Louis’ hands snaked down William’s back, tracing meaningless patterns as he drank in the feel of William’s skin.

His attention was dominated by the slow slide of William’s cock, in and out and in again. William had never fucked him _after _he’d already come. (And no one but William had ever fucked him at all, he thought belatedly.) The sensation was different, somehow both more and less intense without the haze of frenzied desire that normally accompanied it.

Louis’ hands came to rest on William’s ass, guiding the slide of his hips. William moaned quietly into Louis’ shoulder, pushing in hard enough to jostle Louis on the bed. To his own surprise, Louis let out a groan, the first stirrings of fire kindling again in his belly.

It wasn’t until William reached down to grasp his cock that Louis realized he was hard again. William stroked him slowly, but his grip was firm, and Louis relaxed into the pleasant feeling of unhurried arousal. They moved together, savoring the feel of skin and heat and time and each other.

William lost his composure first, thrusts speeding up despite his best efforts. Louis encouraged him, tilting his hips at the perfect angle and clawing his nails down William’s back. He cried out as William drove deeper, pounding into his prostate. When William began to lose his rhythm, Louis reached down and batted William’s hand away from his cock before replacing it with his own.

William braced himself against Louis’ shoulders, little noises of exertion escaping him as he thrust erratically. Louis’ hand moved furiously on his own cock as he watched William fall apart. Moments later he followed, dragging William’s head down into a kiss as waves of pleasure coursed through him. Eventually they stilled, panting, their bodies still pressed together.

“Imagine if we could do this every day,” Louis said. William nodded mutely, his hair brushing against Louis’ chest. “Alas, it cannot be so. But,” Louis continued, eager to dispel the frown that had twisted William’s mouth. “Perhaps there are ways to ensure our meeting more frequently.”

William tilted his head to look at Louis. “Such as?”

“Do not forget that you are presumably here at present to discuss the peace. I have conquered your empire, and Leopold’s.” William let out a disgruntled noise at this unwelcome reminder, but Louis pressed on. “Should we come to an agreement that allows your kingdom some measure of autonomy but maintains a sort of association with my empire, then we shall have to work together quite closely, will we not?”

“That sounds … potentially feasible. And where does Leopold fit into your grand scheme?”

“Who cares? This is a negotiation. Each entity fights only for the things that they personally desire. I know what I desire,” Louis said boldly.

William’s breath hitched, but when he spoke he held his voice even. “Then we must reach an arrangement we both find acceptable. I take particular issue with your terminology: you cannot possibly have an ‘empire’ while I have only a ‘kingdom’.”

“It could take many hours of debate to achieve such an agreement. Shall we adjourn to the Council Room and summon Leopold?” A hint of teasing seeped into Louis’ tone.

“On the contrary, I think our negotiations will prove far more productive without him,” William said, before capturing Louis’ mouth in a kiss.


End file.
